Ski boot magnetic release binders



May 9? i967 KULJCK Sll@ SKI BOOT MAGNETIC RELEASE BINDERS Filed June lO, 1964 INVENTOR. 620x565 fnf/( United Statesv Patent O 3,318,610 SKI BOOT MAGNETIC RELEASE BINDERS George Kulick, 201 E. 66th St., New York, N.Y. 10021 Filed June 10, 1964, Ser. No. 374,007 7 Claims. (Cl. 280-11.35)

This invention relates to :improvements to ski boot release binders and particularly to a release binder which holds both the toe and heel of the ski boot to the ski by magnets.

A frequent source of injury to skiers is the inability of the skier to free himself from his skis during a spill or like accident. Skiers frequently suffer broken bones and severed Achilles tendons as a consequence of ski accidents in which the skiers foot is held to the ski.

The magnetic ski boot release binder herein disclosed will release the skier from his skis instantly and cornpletely, regardless of the type of accident encountered or the nature of the excess force exerted between the ski boot and the ski. Excessive longitudinal forces, lateral forces and twisting will `all be equally effective to release the binder if they exceed the holding force of the magnets. Yet during normal skiing, the ski boot will be firmly held to the ski.

Several embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein. In all of these the construction is such that the ski boot will be completely released from the ski before any injury to the skier can occur. The magnetic release binders of the present invention are simple in construction and are easily manipulated even when the skier is wearing mittens. There `are no straps, springs or buckles to clog up with snow and ice and otherwise become unmanageable.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following disclosure in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a ski and ski boot equipped with magnetic release binders according to the present invention, various parts thereof being shown in vertical cross section.

FIGURE la is a perspective view of one of the magnetic binder heads shown in its released position.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through a modified embodiment of the invention in which magnetic particles are distributed throughout the sole of the ski boot.

FIGURE 4 is a still further modification of the invention utilizing an electromagnet.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of one of the retainer heads.

Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled fin the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, a typical ski boot 10 has a thick sole 11 having toe portion 12 and a heel portion 13 respectively provided with shoulders 14, 15. According to this embodiment of the present invention, the release lbinders compnise toe and heel: retaining blocks or heads 16, 17 having projecting lip portions 18, 19 which respectively overhang the shoulders 14, 1S of the toe and heel portions 12, 13 of the shoe sole 11. These overhanging lips 18, 19 are desirably curved when viewed in plan to conform to the curved configuration of the toe 12 and heel 13 of the sole 11.

The respective retainer heads 16, 17 contain permanent magnets 22, 23 which are held in suitable sockets within the heads by screws 24, 25.

3,318,610 Patented May 9, 1967 The ski 26 is provided with base plates or pads 27, 28 held to the ski by screws 45 and having recesses or 'sockets 29, 30 within which are respectively positioned ferrometallic armatures or keepers 33, 34, these being respectively fastened to the ski by the screws 35. 36.

By way of exemplification, socket 29 of base plate 27 is circular in horizontal cross section and the retainer head 16 has a complementary circular plug 37 concentric with the circular magnet 22 and which mates within the pad socket 29. In order to restrain the retainer block 16 from twisting, it is provided with a downwardly projecting key 3S fastened thereto by a screw 39 and which seats in a corresponding socket 40 formed in the base plate or pad 27.

Again by way of exemplication, retainer block or head 17 is provided with an elliptical or oval plug or key 43 which seats in a correspondingly oval or elliptically shaped socket 44 in the base plate 28. Accordingly, the retainer vblock 17 is also restrained against twisting movement. The respective heads 16, 17 and pads 27, 28 can be made of any suitable material, such as hard rubber or plastic. The plugs 37, 43, sockets 29, 44, key 38 and edge 42 of pad 27 are desirably downwardly inclined or beveled as illustrated. Accordingly, if the ski collides with a forward obstruction and the magnetic attraction between the magnet 22 and its keeper 33 is broken, the head 16 and shoe 10 can readily slide forward on the ski over the pad to release the skier from his skis.

The respective heads 16, 17 and base plates 27, 28 can optionally be provided either with circular or elliptical cross sectioned keys. Where the circular cross sectioned key is used, as shown at the toe portion of the ski boot, the supplementary key 38 is desirably used to prevent unwanted twisting of the retainer block.

The magnets 22, 23 will be preselected to provide suicient magnetic attraction to the armatures or keepers 33, 34 to firmly hold the ski boot to the ski during normal skiing activity. However, on impact or any dislocating force which might tend to injure the skier, the magnets will release to free the skier from his skis and reduce the incident of injury to the skier. The strength of the magnets 22, 23 will vary somewhat depending upon the size and weight of the skier, the type of skis used and the skiing conditions encountered. In a typical situation the magnets will have `a holding force of about fifty pounds.

The respective retainer heads 16, 17 are desirably provided with chains 46 loosely attaching them to the ski to prevent loss of the heads when the ski. boot 10 is released.

A modified embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURE 3. In this embodiment, the sole 47 of the ski boot 48 is specially fabricated by incorporating therein magnetic particles which are uniformly distributed through the material of the sole. To the ski 26 is fastened a ferrometallic armature or keeper 51 having a top surface which is substantially complementary to the undersurface of the sole 47 and by which the ski boot is magnetically attached to the ski 26. Armature 51 is mechanically fastened to the ski 26 by screws 52. The corresponding mating contours of the upper surface of the keeper 51 and the lower 'surface of the sole 47 will key the ski boot against twisting, etc. with respect to the ski, except when a drislocating force in excess of the strength of the magnet is applied.

FIGURE 4 shows a still further embodiment in which the ski boot 53 has a sole 54 in which ferrometallic armature or keeper pieces 55, 56 are incorporated. The ski 26 is provided with a base plate 57 having incorporated therein a pole 58 for the electromagnet 59 which may be powered bv a drv cell 62 under control of the switch 63. Accordingly, when the electromagnet 57 is energized, the ski boot 53 will be magnetically attracted to hold the boot in place on the ski. When switch 63 is opened the electromagnet will be de-energized, thus to release the boot 53 from the ski. The electroma-gnet will be deenergized in the course of initially apply the boots to the skis or removing them therefrom. During skiing, the electromagnet 59 will remain energized. If desired, the circuit for energizing electromagnet 59 may include a voltage adjustor, such as variable resistor 64, to selectively increase or decrease the voltage on the electromagnet 59 and hence the magnetic attraction between the pole piece 58 and the armatures 5S, 56 in the ski boot sole. Accordingly, the strength of the magnet can be changed to readily adjust the device for different skiers, etc.

In the embodiments of FIGURES 3 and 4, the forward edge of the heel of the shoe sole and complementary part of the base plate are beveled or rounded to permit the shoe to slide forwardly on impact suicient to break the magnetic attraction between the shoe and ski.

I claim:

1. A release binder for releasably coupling to a ski boot having a sole with a projecting shoulder at its toe and heel, said binder comprising toe and heel retaining heads with projecting lip portions respectively overhanging the said shoulders at the toe and heel of the boot, and magnets releasably holding said heads to the ski.

Z. The release binder of claim 1 in which said shoulder at the toe and heel of said boot is curved in plan, the lips on said heads being curved complementary thereto.

3. The release binder -of claim 1 in which said ski is provided with pads beneath said toe and heel retaining heads, said heads and pads being respectively provided with intertting plugs and sockets to position the heads on the pads.

4. The release binder of claim 3 in which said plugs `and sockets are beveled in vertical cross section to facilitate separation thereof on impact.

5. The release binder of claim 3 in which said magnets are `incorporated in said plugs, said sockets being provided with magnetic armatures.

6. The release binder of claim 3 in which said plugs and sockets -are non-circular in horizontal cross section to key the head against twisting with respect to the socket.

7. The release binder of claim 1 in which each head is provided with a tether to prevent loss of the head when the binder is released.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,276,826 3/ 1942 Crowther. 2,964,812 12/1960` Cook. 3,246,907 4/ 1966 Chisholm. 3,251,607 5/1966 Wren.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner. 

1. A RELEASE BINDER FOR RELEASABLY COUPLING TO A SKI BOOT HAVING A SOLE WITH A PROJECTING SHOULDER AT ITS TOE AND HEEL, SAID BINDER COMPRISING TOE AND HEEL RETAINING HEADS WITH PROJECTING LIP PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY OVERHANGING THE SAID SHOULDERS AT THE TOE AND HEEL OF THE BOOT, AND MAGNETS RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID HEADS TO THE SKI. 